Flyers lack finesse, fight in blowout loss to Sharks

Flyers lack finesse, fight in blowout loss to Sharks

Five goals against in the second period. Two players coming off extended injury absences to burn them for two goals.

In short, this was not how the Flyers wanted to begin their 23-game stretch drive to the playoffs -- with a stunning 7-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday at the Wells Fargo Center.

It was also the first of 14 home games to finish the season.

After a full week of hard practices and even harder scrimmages, the Flyers lacked fight.

“Not competing around our net, that’s what it came down to,” coach Craig Berube said. “People there, not getting sticks, not boxing people out. Not being hard on people. We didn’t compete hard enough to win the hockey game. Nobody.”

The game saw Steve Mason give up four goals on the first 13 shots, leave for Ray Emery, then return late in the third period because Emery, in his own words, had something that “didn’t feel right.”

Berube himself wasn’t sure about his goalie.

“Ray had an issue. Something was bothering him,” Berube said.

Strangely, the Flyers started out well, matched the Sharks in skating, and even led 2-1 going into what Scott Hartnell called a “disastrous” second period.

San Jose found another gear that period, crashed the net and scored five unanswered goals. The Flyers gave up five in Chicago earlier this season in one period.

“A frustrating game,” Hartnell said. “We wanted to be involved in the game. Even me, I was a little too emotional, reacting to refs calls or plays I didn’t make.

“I don’t know if there was a lot of buildup for this game over two weeks, but we channeled our energy in a negative way. And when I do it, it follows through to everyone else.”

Flyers captain Claude Giroux said he thought the team was playing well before a fluky goal from Raffi Torres tied it for San Jose. Then the Flyers “started panicking.”

“We didn’t stick with the plan,” Giroux said. “We got away from what we are supposed to do and when we don’t do what we’re supposed to do, we get in trouble.”

The Flyers noticeably sagged when it became 2-2 in the second period as the Sharks scored those five unanswered goals. Both Torres and Logan Couture, coming off long injuries, had two goals in the game.

“It almost looked like we stopped competing after they tied the game up,” Berube said.

The back-breaker there was Torres scoring with 2.2 seconds left in the period to make it 5-2.

“The most important part of the ice is in front of our net,” Hartnell said. “The last goal they scored with two seconds left, I was on the ice and kind of swung away [from them], leaving guys to whack away. It’s not fair to Mase or Emery when you leave them hung to dry like that.”

Time changeThe Flyers' showdown in Pittsburgh on March 16 against the Penguins has been designated an NBC national telecast and will now start at 12:30 p.m. that afternoon, instead of 7:30 p.m.

NHL Notes: Oilers sign star Leon Draisaitl to mega 8-year contract

NHL Notes: Oilers sign star Leon Draisaitl to mega 8-year contract

EDMONTON, Alberta -- The Edmonton Oilers have signed center Leon Draisaitl to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $8.5 million.

The extension runs through the 2024-25 season, similar to the eight-year, $100-million extension superstar captain Connor McDavid signed with the team in July.

With the signings, the Oilers are banking on McDavid and Draisaitl providing a potent one-two punch for the team as it looks to build on last season's return to the playoffs after a decade of futility.

Draisaitl, a 21-year-old German, had 77 points (29 goals, 48 assists) last season, his third in the NHL.

He finished eighth among NHL scorers, and second on the Oilers behind McDavid.

He led the Oilers in scoring during the 2017 playoffs, posting 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 13 games.

Draisaitl was selected third overall by the Oilers at the 2015 draft (see full story).

Avalanche: Hobey Baker winner Butcher now free agentCollege hockey's top player is an NHL free agent after former University of Denver defenseman Will Butcher allowed a deadline to pass without signing with the Colorado Avalanche.

The Avalanche selected Butcher in the fifth round of the 2013 draft and had until Tuesday to sign the Hobey Baker Award winner who led Denver to a national championship in April.

A person with direct knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Butcher already has had discussions with the Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils and NHL-expansion Vegas Golden Knights. The person said Butcher has not yet narrowed his list, and is also talking with other teams.

The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the talks are private.

The Denver Post first reported the three specific teams expressing interest in Butcher (see full story).

Wild: Cullen comes home for 21st NHL seasonThe Minnesota Wild and center Matt Cullen have agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract, bringing him back to his home state for a 21st season in the NHL.

The Wild announced the deal, which includes $700,000 in potential performance bonuses, on Wednesday.

Cullen played the last two years with Pittsburgh, winning consecutive Stanley Cups with the Penguins. He played three seasons for the Wild from 2010-13, his first return to Minnesota since launching his career at Moorhead High School and St. Cloud State.

Cullen, who will turn 41 on Nov. 2, had 13 goals and 18 assists in 72 games in 2016-17 for the Penguins, plus two goals and seven assists in 25 playoff games. He has played in 1,366 career regular season games, the sixth-most among active players (see full story).